Council gets next swing at golf campus

Courtesy of the town of BlufftonThis is a conceptual rendering of the proposed design for reconstructing an 18,000-square- foot, concrete barn at Old Carolina for use as a school and golf training center by the Junior Golf Corp. The architect is James Atkins of Bluffton.

Developers aiming to build a junior golf academy campus with student housing at Old Carolina have landed on the rezoning fairway after a town planning hearing.

The Bluffton Planning Commission has forwarded the proposal to the Town Council with unanimous but conditional recommendations for approval of the changes for the Buck Island Road community.

By two 6-0 votes last week, commissioners adopted recommendations for a land-use zoning change and for a master plan change upon which the project hinges.

The proposed master plan change can be decided at one council meeting. But adoption of the proposed zoning change would require approvals on first and second readings at two meetings, said Marc Orlando, Growth Management director and deputy town manager.

The Old Carolina items will go to Town Council at its November meeting, which most likely will be changed from Nov. 8, which is also Election Day, Mayor Lisa Sulka said Friday.

Many of the Traditions at Old Carolina residents broke into applause when the planning commission advanced the plan following a review last Wednesday that lasted more than three hours.

Marcia McCauley of Bridle Path Lane and other residents said the project would bring stability to the neighborhood, which saw the neighboring golf course go through foreclosure and be reduced from an 18-hole to a 9-hole course before reported revitalization by a new owner.

The application for the changes is from Hope Ventures LLC on behalf of the property owner, DJM Properties LLC. The proposed zoning map amendment to the Old Carolina Planned Unit Development would allow redevelopment of 23.5 acres of the Old Carolina Golf Club by adding school and commercial recreation uses, according to a report by Shawn Leninger, town senior planner and the project manager.

The uses would include a private school, The Heritage Academy, for grades 5-12; the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy; and the Ivan Lendl International Junior Tennis Academy. Also, 48 three-bedroom townhomes would be built for on-campus student housing.

According to Hope Venture LLC’s application, the academies comprise the Junior Golf Corp., and the goal is to develop a consolidated campus for the operations now scattered across Bluffton and on Hilton Head Island.

The property’s 18,000-square-foot concrete barn would be reconstructed for use as a school and golf training center. The restaurant and bar, the Old Carolina Pub, would continue operations as a separate entity.

Town planning staff did not make a project recommendation because it had not had time to analyze revised application materials. However, the new material did allow the staff to strike four of seven criticisms, including traffic impact analysis, in the report given to commissioners and posted with the online agenda at www.townofbluffton.sc.gov.

Public comments included opposition. Several Trotters Circle residents said they didn’t want added development and traffic on the oak-tree-lined, private entrance, Old Carolina Drive.

And Michael Bell, of the Windtree neighborhood across Buck Island Road, said special care needs to taken before adding traffic to the overburdened two-lane, Buck Island Road.

Town officials and developers said the intersection would need to be improved to handle increased traffic. Proposals include widening to add a left turn.

Development agents said they would do everything possible to preserve the majestic live oaks along the entrance.

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